Self positioning rotatably mounted simulated golf ball



A. P. ANELLO June 30, 1970 SELF rosnlonme ROTA'I'ABLY MOUNTED SIMULATED GOLF BALL Original Filed Oct. 24. 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.7

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SELF POSITIONING ROTATABLY MOUNTED SIMULATED cow BALL A. P. ANELLO 3 Sheets-Sheet :3

Original Filed Oct. 24, 1966 INVENTOR ANTHONY P. ANELLO SELF POSITIONING ROTATABLY MOUNTED SIMULATED GOLF BALL Original Filed Oct. 24. 1966 A. P. AN ELLO June 30, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1111111111]! 111 III! [III 1111! III/III III IIIIIIIIII i -Isl Iii/-51 Isa Fig. l3

INVENTOR ANTHONY P. ANELLO ATTORNEY Fig.5

States Patent 3,517,938 SELF POSITIONING ROTATABLY MOUNTED SIMULATED GOLF BALL Anthony Peter Anello, 3101 San Isidro, Tampa, Fla. 33609 Original application Oct. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 588,948, now Patent No. 3,453,889, dated July 8, 1969. Divided and this application Aug. 7, 1968, Ser. No. 763,999 Int. Cl. A63b 69/36 US. Cl. 273-197 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Upstanding deflectable q-uills are positioned on each side of a rotatably mounted simulated golf ball to which is connected apparatus for measuring the force imparted to the ball by a golf club. The simulated golf ball is rotatable about a horizontal shaft which includes a circular chamber containing mercury. A portion of the chamber is eccentric to the shaft 0 that when stationary the mercury drops into the eccentric and maintains the simulated golf ball in an upright position. When the simulated golf ball is rotating, centrifugal force moves the mercury to opposite sides of the shaft for counterbalancing purposes.

This application i a division of application Ser. No. 588,948, filed Oct. 24, 1966, now Pat. No. 3,453,889.

The present invention relates to apparatus for practicing golf ball driving and comprising a simulated golf ball which is struck with a golf ball in the same manner as golf balls are driven on a golf course, and which apparatus indicates the effective ball driving force applied to the ball and also indicates deviations in the path of travel of the golf club head from the optimum path of travel.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide golf practicing apparatuses adapted to measure the effective forces applied to simulated golf balls by practice golf drives and which type of apparatus comprises a platform structure on which a golfer may stand and strike a simulated golf ball attached to an arm supported on a rotatable shaft connected with a tachometer or the like so that when the simulated golf ball is struck by the golf club the arm and shaft are rotated and the tachometer indicates the relative speed or the number of revolutions made by the shaft and thereby indicates the force of the particular golf ball drive.

A disadvantage of the type of the prior known apparatuses described is the fact that if the simulated ball structure was unbalanced so as to maintain the ball in an upright position by gravity for striking with a golf club, considerable undesirable and destructive vibration would occur when the simulated ball was struck vigorously. On the other hand, if the simulated ball device is dynamically balanced, it frequently would not remain in a position in which it could be driven by a practice club swing. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a practice golf ball driving apparatus of the type mentioned in which a simulated ball is supported on an arm extending laterally from a rotatable shaft and which arm and simulated ball are dynamically balanced relative to the axis of the shaft, and which shaft has as sociated therewith a unit having a center of gravity well below the axis of the shaft when the shaft is substantially at rest so as to weight the shaft and position it with the simulated ball uppermost and when the shaft is rotated relatively rapidly, the unit assumes a dynamically balanced condition relative to the axis of the shaft whereby vibration arising from rapid rotation of the shaft and arm is obviated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of portable apparatus for practicing driving of golf balls and embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 taken substantially on a plane through line 22 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, but on a larger scale;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 5--5 of FIG. 4 and showing the apparatus inverted from the position shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 4 and inverted;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 88 of FIG. 2 and on a smaller scale;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of certain parts shown in FIG. 8 and on a larger scale;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 1010 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 11-11 of FIG. 10 and on a larger scale;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 12-12 of FIG. 10 and on a larger scale; an

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view of certain parts of FIG. 10 shown in different positions and on a larger scale.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, an apparatus 10 is shown for use in practicing golf ball driving and which measures the relative force imparted to a simulated golf ball and indicates inaccuracies of the path of travel of the head of the golf club used to strike the simulated golf ball. The apparatus comprises a portable platform structure 11 adapted to support a person standing at station 12 and which has a simulated golf ball 13 arranged to be struck with a golf club swung by the person standing at station 12 by swinging the club in a manner similar to that used in driving a golf ball in a game of golf. An indicator 14 is located on the platform 11 between the station 12 and the simulated ball 13 and it includes an upwardly facing dial 15 and an indicator pointer 16 by which the user of the apparatus can observe the relative force with which the simulated ball has been struck. The indicator 14 is adapted to be reset to zero by depressing a pedal or treadle 17 adjacent the indicator. tThe platform 11 may be of any suitable construction and it includes a panel 18 supported above the ground or floor by two rear corner supports 20, only one of which appears in the drawings, and a pair of wheels 21 which are suitably attached to a box structure 22 secured to the panel 18 at the other end of the panel. The box structure 22 supports and encloses certain parts of the apparatus, as is described more fully hereinafter. The wheels 21 permit easy transportation of the apparatus to a desired position for use. Preferably, the upper surface of the panel 18 has a suitable skid resistant surface.

The simulated golf ball 13, sometimes referred to herein as a ball, is disposed centrally of a generally rectangular opening 23 in the panel 18, and four sets of vertically extending defiectable pins or quills 24, 25, 26 and 27 :are positioned so as to lie on opposite sides of the path of the head of a golf club swung in an arc to obtain the optimum impact with the ball 13. The quills 24-27 are also located forwardly and rearwardly of the ball 13 with respect to the direction in which the ball is driven by the golf club so that one or more of the pins or quills the golf club traveling in other than the optimum path of travel. Thus, the deflected pins will indicate to the golfer any deviations from the correct path of travelof the club head during a driving stroke. When the treadle 17 is depressed to reset the indicator -14 to Zero, the quills 24-27 are returned to upright position should 'they be deflected. "1

The simulated-ball 1'3 and the pins-24-27 are'supported inthe box structure 22 which has an' open't'op,'oppo'site side Walls" 30, 31, "a bottom wall 32 and end walls33, 34. The box 22 is suitably-attached to the underside of the panel 18in registration with the-opening 23.

The simulated"ball'1'3is formed of a "molded rubber member having a shank portion- 35,""an' end portion of which is gradually flared 'to a" semi s'pheri'ca1 end or ball form 36. The rubber is molded about "asteel cable '40, and the 'end ofthe cable within the ball 36"being looped so-as to firmlysecurethe rubber'to'the'cable.

The simulatedball structure 13 is"'attach'ed to a rotatable shaft 41-which extends-transversely of the box 22 and is supported therein by suit'abIe' antifrictionbearings 42, 43 which'are secured to the" side walls 30, 31 respectively. The cable has a portion 44 extending from the shank'35 of the simulated ball' structure 13 'and through a transverse opening through the shaft41. The shank 35 is encased in an end portion of a metal sleeve 45 which has a transverse opening in the sides thereof through which the shaft 41 extends. The cable portion 44 is embedded in a lead plug 46 which is molded in the lower end of the sleeve 45, as viewed in FIG. 2, so that the cable is firmly secured to the sleeve end. The plug 46 is such that the simulated ball structure 13 is dynamically balanced about the axis of the shaft 41 and when the ball is struck by a golf club swung in a simulated golf ball drive, the ball and shaft will be rotated without appreciable vibration.

It will be observed that the gradual increase in diameter of the shank 35 to the ball like form 36 presents a relatively smooth surface which cannot catch the club head and tend to wrench the club from the hands of the person using the apparatus. Furthermore, the major portions of the ball structure 13 above the shaft 41 is of rubber which can be flexed and thereby withstand tremendous blows without damage thereto.

Because of the dynamic balance of the ball structure 13 on the shaft 41, some difficulty would be experienced in positioning the ball in position for striking with a golf club. According to the present invention, means are provided which tend to position the ball portion 36 upright when the .shaft41 is stationary or almost so, but which means'are dynamically balanced when the ball and shaft are rotated rapidly. In the form shown, the shaft 41 extends through the bearing 43 in an opening in the wall 31 and a drum shaped member 47 having an axial opening receives the extended end portion of the shaft and is attached thereto. The circular wall 50 of the member 47 is cylindrical in form except for an eccentric portion 51-, best seen in FIG. 3. Around core 52 is provided inside the member 47 and is spaced from the insides of the wall 50v and forms with the wall 50' an annular passage 53 having a pocket 54 at the eccentric portion 51. A bodyof mercury-55 is contained in the passage53 and normally, tends to collect in the pocket 54 when the shaft rotates slowly .so that when the shaft comes to rest the mercury will cause the shaft to be positioned with thepocket 54 below the center of the shaft. The member 47 is positioned on the shaft 41 so. that the pocket 54 is on the. side of the shaft opposite the side on .which. the ball portion36. is disposed. When the shaft 41 is rotated at a moderate rate orv faster, the mercury-is distributed about the passage 53 to dynamically balance the member 47 about the. axis of the shaft so that no vibration will occur. Tocounterbalance the weight of the eccentric portion 51, aweight 56 is disposed opposite tsere'to' so that the member 47 is dynamically balanced. When the ball 13 is struck by a swinging golf club, the

willflheadeflected. shouldmthtngabe ..hit. with the .headof ,force with which the ball is struck causes the shaft 41 to be driven through a number of rotations proportional to the degree of the effective force applied to the ball. The pointer 16 of the indicator 14 is swung in an are over the indicator dial 15 through an angular movement which is proportional to the number of revolutions made by the shaft 41. According-to the present invention, the pointer 16 is moved by a pnuematically driven motor supplied by air from a" pump driven by rotation of the shaft 41. By this arrangement damaging or shocking forces are not transmitted to the delicate parts of the indicator,

In the form of the invention shown, a reciprocating I air pump 60 is attached to a bracket 61 secured to the box wall 31 by screws 62. As best seen in FIG. 6, the

edges of the member 64 and plate 65, and a plun'ger 67 is attached to the center of the diaphragm and through an opening through the plate-65.

' The bottom wall 64 of the chamber 63 has an inlet port 70 and an outlet'port 71. An air inlet tube 7.2 is'connected with the inlet port 70 through a check valve 73, which admits'air from the tube to the chamber, and a tube 74 is connected with the outlet 71 through a check valve which permits air to pass from the outletinto the tube. The details of the check valves 73, 75 are not shown as they are of well known construction. Sufiice to say, when the diaphragm 66 is oscillated by the plunger 67, air is drawn into the chamber 63 through the tube 72 and check valve 73 and is expelled'from the chambe through the check valve 75 into the tube 74.

The plunger 67 is reciprocated to actuate the diaphragm 66 by a crank 76 provided on the end of the shaft 41, which extends beyond the member 47, by a connecting rod 77 interconnecting the crank with the plunger. A

extends I cylindrical housing 80, secured to the plate 65, forms a guide for the plunger 67. Preferably, tube 72 is curled upwardly and its open end is located so as to prevent the entrance of water, dirt and the like into the pump. The air forced by pump 60 through the tube 74 drives a pneumatic motor 81 which in turn moves the pointer 16. As best shown in FIG. 5, the motor 81 comprises a cylindrical chamber 82 which is supported on an arm '83 of the bracket 61. The cylinder 82 contains a piston 84 to which a piston rod 85 is attached and which rod projects through a guide opening through the end wall 86 of the cylinder. The piston 84 has an O ring seal 87 thereabout which provides a sliding air seal between the edges of the piston and the walls of the cylinder. The bottom wall 88 of the cylinder has an opening 89' communicating with the tube 74 so that the air discharged by the pump 60 enters the cylinder beneath the piston '84 and moves the piston towards the opposite end of the cylinder. It is apparent that the extent of movement of the piston 84 is determined by the number of revolutions made by the shaft 41 which drives the pump 60. The pointer 16 of the indicator 14 is attached to a pi 91 which is suitably journaled in the frame 92 of the indicator and the pin extends through an opening'through the panel -18 and is adapted to be oscillated about its axis by an arm 93 attached thereto which is connected by linkage to the piston rod 85. This linkage comprises anarm 95 which has a crank portion 96 journaled in lugs 97 of a bracket 100 secured to the underside of the panel 18 and which crank portion has an arm 101 which is' linked to the'arm 93 by a link'102 pivoted to the arms which it interconnects. i i

'The extended endof the arm 95 is pivotally attached to the upper end of the piston rod 85, and when the piston 84 moves upwardly in the cylinder 83 by air entering the cylinder through tube 74, the pointer 16 is swung across the face of an indicator dial 15 from a zero position. The zero position of the pointer 16 corresponds to the lowermost position of the piston 84 in the'cylinder 82 and the piston is returnable to this position by depression of the treadle 17. The indicator 14 is urged towards the zero position by a wire cantilever spring 108 one end of which is secured to the underside of the bracket 100 by a screw 109. I

Preferably,- suit'able guide bars and a cross beam attached to the upper end of the piston rod 85 may be provided to guide the piston rod in vertical, non-rotating movements; however, for sake of clarity, this expedient has not been shown. g

The treadle 17 is attached to the end of a rod 104 which extends through an opening in the panel 18 and the lower end of which is pivotally attached to an arm 105 of a rocker shaft 106, one end of which is supported in a bearing bracket 107 secured to the underside of the panel 18 and the intermediate portions of which are journaled in bearing brackets 110, 111 likewise supported on the underside of the panel. The outer end of the rocker shaft 106 extends through an opening in the box wall 31 and has a crank arm 112 attached thereto. The rocker shaft 106 is biased to one angular position by a compression spring 113 interposed between the treadle 17 and the panel 18, as clearly seen in FIG. 2, and which urges the treadle upwardly.

The arm 95 has a rod 114 pivotally attached thereto and which slidably extends through an opening in an arm 115, and the extended end of the rod has an enlargement 116 which cannot pass through the opening in the arm. Thus, when the arm 115 is swung from a raised position, as shown in full lines in FIG. 4, to its lowermost position, as seen in dotted lines, the arm 95 is forced downwardly, which in turn moves the piston 84 to its lowermost position in the cylinder 82. When the arm 115 moves to its raised position, the rod 114 remains lowered by reason of the sliding relationship of the rod and arm, as best seen in FIG. '8, arm 115 is piyoted to bracket 110 by a pin 117.

The arm 115 is connected with the rocker shaft 106 by an arm 117 attached to the shaft, and a link rod 118 which moves the arm in accordance with the rocking of the shaft 106. Thus, when the treadle 17 is depressed, the arm 115 swings to draw arm 95 downwardly and return the piston 84 to its lowermost position. To permit overtravel of the rocker shaft 106 relative to the arm 115, a lost motion connection is formed between the arm 117 and the link rod 118. This connection is formed by an end portion of the rod 118 extending through an opening in the arm 117 and having a compression spring 119 between the arm and rod, as shown in FIG. 9.

It will be appreciated that in lowering the piston 84 in the cylinder 82 the air beneath the piston must be expelled and for this purpose the tube 74 has a branch 123 which has an open end forming a valve port 124 which when open permits air from the bottom of the cylinder 82 to pass freely to atmosphere. The port 124, however, is normally closed by a rubber valve member 125 which is carried on a lever 126 pivotally supported on the lower end of a shaft 127 which is journaled in the bracket 61 and in a second bracket 130 secured to the wall 31 of the box 22. The lever 126 is biased to close the valve member 125 on the port 124 by a tension spring 128 connected between the bracket 83 and the lever. The shaft 127 is adapted to be turned by a crank arm 131 thereon which is engaged by a cam 132 attached to the rocker shaft 106. Preferably, a roller 133 is supported on the crank arm 131 to reduce friction between the cam and the crank arm. Thus, when the treadle 17 is depressed to return the indicator 14 to its zero setting, the valve 125 is swung by arm 126 from the port 124 to permit the piston 84 to freely expell the air from therebeneath as it is moved to the lower end of the cylinder.

Referring to the sets of pins or quills 24-27, the sets each comprise three wire-like elements each having enlarged flattened areas 140, as seen in FIG. 10. These flat 6 areas each have openings through which a support shank 141 extends. The shanks 141 are secured in nuts 142 attached to the walls 30, 31 of the box 22, and referring particularly to FIG. 11, the shanks each have a head 143 at the extended end therof. The outtermost quill of the sets of quills abut the inner face of the head 143 and a friction collar 145 engages the opposite side of the quill to provide friction to hold the quill to whatever position it is moved. The intermediate quill on the shank 141 is between the collar 145 and a second friction collar 146. The innermost quill abuts the collar 146 and is urged thereagainst by a compression spring 147 surrounding the shank 141and reacting against the nut 142. The quills are free to rotate on the shank 141 supported thereby to the extent permitted by the friction collars 145, 146 and the spring 147. The collars 145, 146 may move axially on the shank but are prevented from rotary movement by set screws 1S0 entering a longitudinal groove 151 on the shanks. Thus, should the club head move out of the proper path for striking the simulated ball 13 one or more of the pins or quills 24-27 will be deflected and remain deflected so as to indicate the extent of the misdirection of the club head.

In order to restore any of the deflected pins 24-27 to their upright and operative positions at the end of each practice stroke, the lower ends 153 of the quills are formed to lie adjacent one another as seen in FIG. 11, and these portions project through aligned slots 154, 155 formed through the yoke walls 156, 157 of two nested elongated channel members 160, 161. It will be understood that two sets 164 and 165 of channel members 160, 161 are provided and that the end portions 153 of the quills 24 and 26 extend into slots 154, 155 of the set 164 and the end portions of quills 25, 27 extend into slot 154, 155 of the set 165. The channel members 160, 161 have their open sides facing downwardly and each set of members is supported for longitudinal movement a pair of pins 166, 167 which are secured to the walls 30, 31 respectively, and project laterally beneath the respective sets of channel members. The outer ends of the pins 166, 167 are turned upwardly and extend into the open sides of the channel members and each pin has a head 170 which overlies inwardly projecting side edge portions 171, 172 formed in channel members 160.

It will be seen, particularly by reference to FIGS. 10 and 13, that if the channel members 160, 161 are shifted in opposite directions from their positions shown in FIG. 10 to their positions shown in FIG. 13, i.e. with the member 160 shifted to the right and member 161 to the left, by equal amounts, the portions 153 of any quill out of vertical will be moved to a vertical positon by either of the end edges 174, 175 engaging it to a vertical alignment with the quill pivot pin 141.

The channel members 160, 161 are adapted to be shifted as described, by depression of the treadle 17 and for this purpose, a shaft is rotatably supported at its ends in suitable bearings, not shown in detail, attached to the inside of walls 30, 31 of the box 22. The shaft 180 has two sets of lugs 181, 182 to which one end of links 183, 184 are pivotally attached and the opposite ends of which links are pivotally attached to the ends of the channel members 160, 161, respectively. Thus, when the shaft 180 is oscillated, the channel members 160', 161 are shifted in opposite directions to raise any of the deflected quills to a vertical position.

The shaft 180 is rocked or oscillated by the rocker shaft 106, when the treadle 17 is depressed, through a ling 185 which interconnects the arm 112 and an arm 186 on the shaft 180.

It will be appreciated that with the sets of quills 24-27 aligned as shown, the number of quills of any set which are deflected by the golf club will indicate the extent of deviation of the path of the club head in any given ball driving swing of the club, and depending upon which sets of quills are deflected, the type of deviation is readily discernible.

Preferably, the opposite end portions of the opening 23 in the panel 18 are bridged by rubber panels 190, 191 so that the club head will not be damaged should it be swung lower than proper.

It will be seen that by my invention a golf driving practicing machine is provided which accurately indicates the force of the drive, is dynamically balanced and yet permits gravitational positioning of the simulating ball structure, provides a fixed reading of the force as well as indicating misdirection of the golf club head and which mechanism may readily be reset by one operation.

Although but one form of the invention has been described, it is apparent that other forms, modifications, and adaptations thereof can be provided all falling within the scope of the claim which follow.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for practicing golf ball drives, a simulated golf ball member, means mounting said member for rotation in an are about a given axis when said member is struck by a golf club, and means connected with said mounting means for counterweighting said member to tend to retain said member in a vertical position and above said axis when said member is stationary relative to said axis, said means including a weight means disposed to drop below said axis when said member is stationary and movable by centrifugal force to counterbalancing positions on opposite sides of said axis when said member is rotated about said axis.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said member includes a rotatable shaft forming the axis about which said member revolves, and said means for counter-weighting said member comprises a circular chamber attached to said shaft and forming an annular passage having a major section thereof coaxial with said shaft and a minor portion thereof eccentric to said shaft, and a body of relatively heavy liquid in said passage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner 

